Aid targeting in post-conflict Nepal

This study investigates the political underpinnings of aid allocations during Nepal's post-conflict transition. Were post-conflict aid allocations sensitive to civilian support for the rebels during the war, or driven by new electoral coalitions after the end of fighting? Constructing a municipal-level dataset, we leverage the geo-location of Nepalese army barracks prior to the conflict as instrument for civilians killed by the government, which in turn proxies government support. We find that rebel support significantly increased post-war aid allocations, while voting for the rebel party after the war did not.